Background
The Massachusetts Bar Association was founded in 1911 to improve the practice of law in Massachusetts. Today, with 18,000 members, the MBA is one of the largest voluntary bar associations in the United States.
The MBA is the only bar association in the commonwealth that represents lawyers from all parts of the state and from all types of practices. Its members are solo practitioners in small towns, partners in big city firms, public service lawyers working out of storefronts, corporate attorneys, government attorneys, law professors, judges and law students.
How the MBA helps journalists
The MBA is an excellent resource for journalists seeking information on legal topics. The association's media relations office maintains a roster of lawyers with expertise in different areas of the law who answer media questions and provide commentary on legal issues. Some of these areas of expertise include:
- legislation
- criminal law
- civil law
- business law
- environmental law
- family law
- property law
- public law
- probate law
- tax law
- civil rights
- law practice
These lawyers have been carefully selected for their abilities to explain matters in simple, understandable terms, for their expertise in the area in question and for their willingness to promptly return calls. As a statewide association, the MBA often can refer journalists to sources located in their geographic areas.
If appropriate, the MBA can also refer reporters to court departments or legal agencies.
What the MBA does
The MBA provides services for both its members and for the public.
For members, the MBA organizes educational programs on developments in the law and on improving the practice of law, ensures that viewpoints of the legal profession are represented on Beacon and Capitol hills, produces legal publications and offers its members discounts on insurance and professional services.
For the public, the MBA maintains the largest lawyer referral service in the state; operates Tel-Law, recorded information accessible by telephone on legal topics; recruits volunteers for pro bono (free) legal services programs; organizes community service programs in schools; publishes brochures on legal topics and runs a service that arbitrates lawyer-client fee disputes.
What the MBA doesn't do
Two of the most common errors made by journalists regarding the legal profession are to write that an individual has "been admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association" and that a lawyer "will be reported to the Massachusetts Bar Association for discipline."
As noted, MBA membership is voluntary and any lawyer in good standing may join. People are admitted to the bar (as opposed to the bar association) upon fulfilling the requirements of the Board of Bar Examiners, the arm of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that administers the bar examination.
The MBA has no disciplinary powers. Lawyer discipline falls under the control of the Board of Bar Overseers, an arm of the Supreme Judicial Court. The discipline section of this handbook has extensive information on the bar overseers.